Quadramics production Ionesco play opens on campus

Rhinoceros sightings were unheard of on campus until recently, when Quadramics cast members began publicizing their fall production. Rhinoceros, an adaptation of the play by Eugene Ionesco, opens tonight at the Annenberg Center's Harold Prince Theater. Rhinoceros tells the story of Berenger, a publishing clerk, who watches as his neighbors transform one by one into rhinoceroses. Director Gideon Evans said the show touches on the themes of individuality and conformity. "The play is about being different," College senior Evans said. "It looks at why people discard their individuality and asks what about ourselves causes us to become something else." But, unlike other productions, this play does not answer the questions it brings up. That task, Evans said, is left up to the audience members. "It [the play] does not give any concrete answers," he said. "It let's the audience decide for themselves what the rhinoceros means." Many of the details of the Quadramics production differ from Ionesco's original work. Producer Sara Jablon said one such difference is that the play takes place in Philadelphia instead of the French countryside. "Gideon is taking Rhinoceros to a new level," College junior Jablon said. "He was the one who changed the location of the play to Philadelphia." The play is considered a classic example of French absurdist theater, according to Producer Wendy Jackler. "The whole idea of turning into a rhinoceros and doing it in Philadelphia really picks up on the absurdity," College junior Jackler said. "It's hard to take a play written so long ago and apply it to Penn. We do a pretty good job of that. The themes are timeless." College junior Bennett Viseltear, who plays a logician, said his character is easy to portray. "I try and explain the phenomenon of rhinoceroces passing through our little happy town," Viseltear said. "I certainly have a very absurd role, but being absurd is what I am natural at." The set tries to provide a familiar setting for audience members, according to set designer Bardo Ramirez. "I tried to capture some of the ugliness of West Philadelphia architecture," Wharton senior Ramirez said. Evans said the play captures all of the elements of theater in one production. "The play itself is so unusual in that it moves from comedy to drama to almost tragedy from beginning to end," he said. Rhinoceros runs from today through Saturday. Tickets are available on Locust Walk.

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